Millions of people dream of working and exploring the world at the same time. After all, life is too short to limit yourself.
Typically, this life of working on the road seems to be reserved for the rich, or some Instagram influencer that is sponsored by a company they advertise for. The good news is that this life is accessible to all of us with an Australia Working Holiday Visa.
If you always wanted to visit the Land Down Under and live life on the road, the Working Holiday Visa could be your ticket! Sit back and let’s explore what is the Australia Working Holiday Visa?
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About the Australia Working Holiday Visa
The Australia Working Holiday Visa is a type of open work permit. Australia created initiatives like the Working Holiday Maker (WHM) Program for partner countries. The intention is to introduce young adults from around the world to Australia’s culture and lifestyle.
The Working Holiday Maker Program, or Working Holiday Visa, is not a new initiative. Many countries are either partnered with countries that offer Working Holiday Visas or offer these visas themselves. Every Working Holiday Visa and every partnership agreement have their own conditions and eligibility criteria.
In Australia, there are 2 categories for the Working Holiday Visa: Subclass 417 and Subclass 462.
Working Holiday Visa Australia (Subclass 417)
Both the Australia Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417) and the Subclass 462 permit young adults, ages 18 – 35, to work and travel in Australia.
If you are eligible for Subclass 417, you will be able to apply for a 2nd Working Holiday Visa and 3rd Working Holiday Visa. If you are eligible for Subclass 462, you will be able to apply only once.
These are the 3 Subclass 417 Working Holiday Visas and their eligibility criteria:
1st Working Holiday Visa Australia
✔︎ You hold a valid passport from an eligible partner country
✔︎ You are 18 to 30 years old (or 35 for Canadian, French, and Irish citizens)
✔︎ You must not have any accompanying dependent children
✔︎ You have no previous entry in Australia using a Subclass 417 or Subclass 462 Visa type
✔︎ You have enough funds to cover your initial stay and fare (at least AUD5,000)
2nd Working Holiday Visa Australia
✔︎ You must have previously entered Australia by a valid Subclass 417 visa
Meaning, you meet all the eligibility requirements of your first Subclass 417
✔︎ You hold a valid visa, or the last visa expired less than 28 days prior
✔︎ Completed 3 months of work that falls under specified Subclass 417 work
If you plan to extend your stay in Australia, make sure to fulfill this visa’s work requirements.
There are many work options that will qualify you for this visa, so this should be pretty easy to do.
3rd Working Holiday Visa Australia
✔︎ You hold the past two Subclass 417 Visas in Australia
✔︎ You hold a valid visa, or the last visa expired less than 28 days prior
✔︎ Completed 6 months of work that falls under specified Subclass 417 work
Being approved for the 3rd Working Holiday Visa will allow you to stay an additional 12 months in Australia, bringing you to a total of 3 years! This visa becomes valid as soon as the 2nd Working Holiday Visa expires.
Note that the third Subclass 417 visa doesn’t have an extension. There is no such thing as a 4th Working Holiday Visa. If you plan to stay in Australia for far longer, you will need to apply for a new visa, such as a regular working visa, student visa, or other.
Work and Holiday Visa Australia (Subclass 462)
The Work and Holiday Visa is intended for another group of partnered countries. This visa will also grant you a 12-month stay in the Land Down Under, where you can legally live, work, and travel.
However, once this visa expires, you will need to return to your home country or apply for a completely different visa, as this visa doesn’t have any extension options.
The main differences between Subclass 462 and Subclass 417
As mentioned, this Working Holiday Visa is intended for a different group of countries and can only be applied once.
In addition, this Work and Holiday Visa Australia has education requirements. You will also be asked to provide a letter of support from your government of origin (unless you’re from the United States)
Lastly, you will need to prove your language proficiency in English by taking the IELTS or TOEFL exams.
How to Apply for an Australia Working Holiday Visa?
Before you apply, you will need to check if you fit the general eligibility criteria:
– You must have a valid passport from an eligible country
– You must be 18 – 30 years old (or 35, depending on your nationality)
– You must not have any dependents
– You must have at least AUD 5,000 in savings to fund basic needs
– You mustn’t have a criminal record
– You mustn’t have a debilitating health condition
Next, check what type of Australia Working Holiday Visa you can apply for – Subclass 417 or Subclass 462.
Depending on the type of visa you can apply for, proceed to fulfilling the rest of the requirements and submitting your WHV profile to the pool.
Draws are made at random. When selected, you will receive an ITA (Invitation to Apply) that you can either accept or decline.
If you accept, you can complete your application process for this visa and finally go to the Land Down Under!
*Please note: due to the current state of the pandemic, all Working Holiday Visa applicants are required to have a job offer to qualify.
Get Started
Though an adventure should be all about fun, your first steps may be challenging. Even a relatively simple visa application can involve some complexities, especially if you miss small details, submit invalid information by mistake, and more.
If you wish to hire the assistance of professionals, our team at UIS Australia is readily prepared to guide you every step of the way. This includes assistance with collecting documents, training for the language exam, obtaining a job offer, and more.
Don’t let anything stand in your way to Australia – start your visa application with an accredited consultancy!
Contact our team via the button below or by visiting our Contact Us page.
